A devotee’s visit to the Arulmigu Kandaswamy Temple in Thiruporur near Chennai took an unusual turn after his iPhone accidentally slipped into the temple’s donation box, or “hundi.” The temple authorities, however, declined his request to retrieve the device, citing religious customs.
The incident occurred last month when Dinesh, a resident of Vinayagapuram, was worshipping with his family. While placing a monetary offering into the hundi, his iPhone inadvertently fell into the donation box. Upon realizing the mishap, Dinesh approached the temple authorities, who informed him that any item placed in the hundi becomes the property of the deity.
Undeterred, Dinesh lodged a complaint with the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, seeking assistance. On Friday, temple officials opened the donation box, but they maintained their stance, stating that the phone could not be returned. However, they allowed Dinesh to recover his SIM card for data retrieval.
Explaining the decision, the temple’s executive officer said there was ambiguity about the circumstances of the incident. “We are unsure if the iPhone was accidentally dropped or if it was initially intended as an offering but later reconsidered. The hundi is secured with an iron fence, making it unlikely for such an item to fall in unintentionally,” the officer noted.
The case has sparked debate about the application of temple customs in such situations. Meanwhile, Dinesh remains without his phone, despite his attempts to recover it.